Rona responds, "Yuri, don't be absurd. We'd never short-change you in such a manner. We have standard rates for basic military units, and rates for unique units, such as casters, are completely negotiable."

Yuri gives a booming laugh at Rona's protestations. "Rates changing short is only when not causing troubles with angry sides afterwards, I think. But reading of prices is seeming reasonable for now. Will bring numbers to King, and will talk to you of costs if flying women are wanting units for special tasks."

That should just about wrap up that call.

MarbitChow wrote:

Lolly responds, "Hm. You seem to possess a small bit of wisdom. Perhaps there is hope for your side yet." Yuri gets the following impression, although in Lolly's mind, Tenebris is still Farkistan:

The size of the map is rather shocking to Yuri- does this tiny Marbit really claim an area greater than that which Tenebris holds? His mind spins, struggling to work with numbers and probabilities, high-level strategy that is all too new to him. Can this be anything but completely overblown when he doesn't hold a single city to support troops there? The Tenebrisan dollamancer hadn't seemed that impressive- mostly he made weakling units and mostly useless trinkets, in Yuri's opinion- but perhaps a higher-leveled and more experienced caster could make enough upkeep-free units to replicate the production of an entire city, and if he did that over dozens, or even hundreds, or turns... throw in a marbit tribe or two with working mines, and holding an area a couple hundred hexes on a side wouldn't be impossible. He'd been around for long enough, based on the archons' information. But the whole thing could just be a mad unit's bluff, particularly given that the archons had given the impression of not having many details on the marbit caster, just rumors of his existence. An area that size would almost certainly hold one or more actual cities- who would live there, if Lolly claimed them as his territory?

There just isn't enough information to work with, and while he makes an effort Yuri's confident attitude is difficult to maintain in the face of this claim. He'd been given a huge amount of responsibility as Chief Diplomat for the side- what if he made a mistake and embroiled the side in a war they didn't have to be in, costing precious resources? Wary of missteps and feeling that he had at least secured the side against Lolly sending golems to hit them in the rear, Yuri mentally scraps his initial plans and opts for caution and flattery. "Is remembering. Vast realm is having many dolls to spare, perhaps? Side is much wanting biggest of units for sieging."

ETheBoyce wrote:

IC: At some point soon after the repulsion of the Elven counterattack T. Coil will approach Chief Diplomat Yuri, "Yuri, as you know the Elves are currently attempting to create a temporary peace with Ix so as to bring their full power against us and currently Ix is considering accepting that peace, I wish to convince them that such a deal is not at all in their interest. I would like to use one of the available Thinkagrams to make such a case."

The heavy warlord nods. "Is planning talks with Ix before deal is finishing, telling them of crushing defeat of wretched grass eaters. Queen is using information to push elves, maybe, or is dragging talkings until Tenebris is taking more cities for purpose of squeezing green king for treats." His face splits into a savage smile as he speaks and he makes a gesture with one hand as though the squeezing were occurring to some kind of fruit, or possibly an enemy skull. "What is blasty-man wanting to tell in speakings?"

(Since you are entitled to 3 diplomatic calls a day, and have only used 1 so far, we'll assume that Yuri and the King discuss matters before the start of the next call, which I assume will be Ix...) "I find it difficult to determine whether Charlie's offer is generous or not, but we may have no choice but to take him up on it. At the start of this turn, the treasury has hardly changed. Tod's overwhelming victory has unfortunately increased the upkeep of dozens of units. We'll start foraging for rations around the cities, and in a few turns we'll have some Gobwin diggers to hopefully start supplementing our income as well, but if we are to survive and grow, we'll need to increase the treasury significantly."

Exate wrote:

"Is remembering. Vast realm is having many dolls to spare, perhaps? Side is much wanting biggest of units for sieging."

Lolly squints. "You attack me, steal from me, and now you want to buy from me? I have many powerful dolls which can smash down your very walls. Why should I make them available to you? What could you possibly offer me in return?"

In an attempt to get everything sorted out, I'll be using the following report format from now on. The start-of-turn report indicates what everyone will be doing on this turn. Once everyone confirms what's being done, the end-of-turn report for Turn 10 will be posted, as well as the start-of-turn report for the next turn, will be posted.

(Since you are entitled to 3 diplomatic calls a day, and have only used 1 so far, we'll assume that Yuri and the King discuss matters before the start of the next call, which I assume will be Ix...) "I find it difficult to determine whether Charlie's offer is generous or not, but we may have no choice but to take him up on it. At the start of this turn, the treasury has hardly changed. Tod's overwhelming victory has unfortunately increased the upkeep of dozens of units. We'll start foraging for rations around the cities, and in a few turns we'll have some Gobwin diggers to hopefully start supplementing our income as well, but if we are to survive and grow, we'll need to increase the treasury significantly."

"Is needing more good cities for shmuckers," Yuri offers glumly. "Upgrading Dis City worth losing units... but is taking many, with flying woman prices- troops needed for croaking elves. Special rates better, maybe; other sides likely paying much for work of casters or balrugs. On better hand, if Charlie is covering upkeep, keeping more troops with less problem."

MarbitChow wrote:

Lolly squints. "You attack me, steal from me, and now you want to buy from me? I have many powerful dolls which can smash down your very walls. Why should I make them available to you? What could you possibly offer me in return?"

Yuri shrugs. "Is having many things for offerings. Shmuckers, if vast realm is costing vast money. Castings of nice spells lasting many turns on units, if wanting other magics for protectings and smitings. Perhaps talking with vast realm's vast numbers of friends, from vast distances? Is many turns needed for walking every time desiring speakings where this easy and quick, yes? Or croakings of enemies not wishing fighting with using dolls and tiny marbits. Other things, maybe."

"Is having many things for offerings. Shmuckers, if vast realm is costing vast money. Castings of nice spells lasting many turns on units, if wanting other magics for protectings and smitings. Perhaps talking with vast realm's vast numbers of friends, from vast distances? Is many turns needed for walking every time desiring speakings where this easy and quick, yes? Or croakings of enemies not wishing fighting with using dolls and tiny marbits. Other things, maybe."

Lolly raises an eyebrow. Although it's tough to tell with Marbits, you're starting to get the impression that Lolly is female. "There's still the question of amends to make. To pay for your transgressions, send me a gobwin bearing a 1000-shmucker gem. Once that is done, we can discuss whether I'll sell you some of my toys." Lolly ends the call.

Lolly raises an eyebrow. Although it's tough to tell with Marbits, you're starting to get the impression that Lolly is female. "There's still the question of amends to make. To pay for your transgressions, send me a gobwin bearing a 1000-shmucker gem. Once that is done, we can discuss whether I'll sell you some of my toys." Lolly ends the call.

The odds of Yuri backing sending a 1000-shmucker gem to Lolly as a gift when Tenebris is this desperate for funds are just about zero, so since the marbit hung up that is that, so far as he is concerned. Tenebris didn't even have the ability to make gems, since their plethora of casters did not include a moneymancer. The heavy warlord planned to recommend to the King that the side table the issue of Lolly for now- he didn't think the marbit would attack them as long as they didn't poke at it- and perhaps send some scouts to skirt around the area claimed as its territory. There was a lot of space there; somewhere they would find a side, which would first be potential allies or victims and second hopefully be able to tell Tenebris more about Lolly Cholly. Until they had more information, it seemed a pointless risk to send troops after the mad dollamancer when it wasn't an immediate threat and there were so many other issues demanding their resources.

Of course, the king or Tod might have their own opinions after hearing of the conversation...

Of course, the king or Tod might have their own opinions after hearing of the conversation...

The King agrees with your assessment. If you'd like, you can contact Ix next. Coil's recommendation was to urge them to reject the Peace Treaty w/ the Breatheairians, and to keep pressure on the Elves.

T. Coil is going to suggest to Yuri that we try and convince IX not to take the deal immediately and instead to try and drag out negotiations as long as they can, giving every inclination they plan on actually accepting the deal but are playing hard to get. The Green King clearly wants to crush us so instead of taking his immediately offered terms they should push for even more than offered, everything that Breatharia agrees to becomes a base to ask for more things, this benefits both our sides. An additional option is to demand only short term peace deals, albeit with harsher penalties, to force the KiG to constantly keep his forces on his other border for fear of a deal ending and Ix just rolling him when he's Nomming us. The reason Ix should do this is because the offer itself is a clear ploy from a weakened side. The deal more heavily benefits Breatharia because while the return of lost units and time to rebuild is nice Bretharia gains those benefits in addition to putting down what is in effect a rebellion in its own lands. Accepting the deal as is is a short-term gain for Ix while allowing the KiG to regain sturdy footing, given that Breatharia recently captured an Ix city fighting Breatharia at full power seems like a potentially losing proposition for Ix so forcing them to fight two wars at once, or a war on two fronts depending on future alliances, seems like it would be a much better long term plan for Ix. T. Coil will also suggest that perhaps he should handle this particular conversation; for two reasons, first Yuri's manner of speaking is potentially problematic when conversing with a Royal who is likely more used to proper Language, and second T. Coil is a former Breatharian unit and as such can imply knowledge both of the KiG's views on Ix and potential military status.

Coil talks a lot at Yuri very quickly, and Yuri listens patiently until eventually concluding that Coil is basically planning to say everything that Yuri was planning to say except in a slightly more detailed fashion, and he's convinced that he makes a better diplomat than the Chief Diplomat does so he should do the talking. As much as Yuri likes Coil- because honestly, there's very little that's not to love about someone who delights that much in the screams of Tenebris' enemies- he's not about to basically hand over the primary responsibility associated with his recent promotion to him. As the caster's spiel winds down, the big man replies congenially. "Is good speaking. Will remember, and use some plannings in thinkagram... but King names Yuri mighty lord of talkings, and so Yuri will do talkings. Is thanking Coil for weasel tactics." Hopefully the often-sensitive caster wouldn't mind Yuri insisting on being the one to do Yuri's job.

MarbitChow wrote:

If you'd like, you can contact Ix next. Coil's recommendation was to urge them to reject the Peace Treaty w/ the Breatheairians, and to keep pressure on the Elves.

Ix is indeed on the list to contact next. Bearing in mind T. Coil's valid concerns about royalty, since it seems that their Queen has been our primary contact with them thus far and King Creperum has spoken to her several times Yuri requests that the King use a three-way thinkagram for this one so that he can provide introductions. She'll have no way of truly knowing Yuri's new rank is genuine otherwise, after all. He also asks if there's any quirks she has or protocols he'll need to remember to avoid giving offense; while the King might have popped with an awareness of etiquette, Yuri mostly popped with the burning desire to tear his enemies limb from limb while laughing uproariously- admirable qualities, he feels, but sadly an unrelated knowledge base to his current duties.

When he says all that it comes out something like "King is there also and telling Queen Ix of Chief Diplomat for opening talks, maybe, and speaking of her before starting? Is not wishing for ruining friendships with funny joke" but King Creperum totally gets what Yuri means 100% because he's in touch with his people and understands their dialects no matter how street they are. Proper Language, Yuri's oversized ogrish ass...

T coil considers Yuri's response for a moment...a long moment then a grin splits his face, "Well, at least someone is thinking properly!" Then the casters face becomes quite serious, "Perhaps you should have the Luckamancer bless you before you make the call, the result of it could well decide the fate of our side; The elves want to crush us with numbers, numbers we can't match, so we need Ix to continue drawing their numbers away from us, otherwise well...I have no wish to be put under an Elven thumb again!"

(OOC: The next item on my agenda is to figure out on what turns the scouting attempts provide information, and what they tell you. I'll allow players to modify their choice of actions based on information retroactively, and then we should be able to move quickly through the turn results and get each player assigned to their tasks.)

(Edit: Also, for the short term, Catapults and Ballista will be defensive structures only. There's still some balancing that needs to be done on those items as they compare to battering rams and mining picks.)

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